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Home » NewsThis vacant seat tells the story of our times
Amid the political turmoil and unprecedented constitutional crisis in Sri Lanka, a major story is told by this empty seat in the front row at a meeting on Thursday to commemorate the third death anniversary of the Ven. Sobitha Thera who played a leading role in the good governance campaign and the victory of President [...]
Former SLFP MPs flock to join SLPP
The Sri Lanka Freedom Party’s former parliamentarians are flocking to obtain membership in the newly formed Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) to contest the upcoming general elections, amid questions on which symbol th two parties are to contest the upcomin elections. Plantation Industries Minister S.M. Chandrasena told the Sunday Times that several of SLFP members [...]
UNP, TNA, JVP to challenge dissolution
Ousted Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe declared that his United National Party (UNP) would go to court to challenge the dissolution of parliament and insisted that President Maithripala Sirisena and Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa could not face a floor test in Parliament. He told the Sunday Times that neither of them could show a majority to [...]
State media shifted from Rambukwella to Jayasekera
Skills Development and Vocational Training Minister Dayasiri Jayasekara, a confidant of President Maithripala Sirisena, has been entrusted with the subject of media, the Department of Government Information said last night. Accordingly, all departments, statutory bodies and corporations related to media and digital infrastructure have been brought under the purview of the Ministry of Skills Development [...]
No congratulatory messages from foreign leaders
No heads of government or state have so far sent congratulatory messages to new Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa, the Foreign Ministry has confirmed. However, a spokesperson also said it was because the Cabinet of Ministers was only finalised on Friday and, therefore, a list had not been sent out to Sri Lanka’s missions abroad for [...]
Mano Ganesan’s TPA to contest polls in alliance with the UNF
The Upcountry based Tamil Progressive Alliance (TPA) led by Mano Ganesan is to contest the upcoming Parliamentary polls under the United National Front (UNF), the alliance umbrella of the United National Party (UNP), a senior leader of the party said. Velusami Radhakrishnan, leader of Upcountry Peoples’ Front, a constituent party of TPA, told the Sunday [...]
LAWASIA expresses concern over Lanka’s political crisis
The Council of LAWASIA has joined the Bar Association of Sri Lanka in expressing its concern over the political crisis in Sri Lanka. In a statement, LAWASIA said that at its annual meeting, it shared the concerns of the Bar Association of Sri Lanka with respect to the current situation in Sri Lanka and likewise [...]
Hand over official vehicles or else…: New PM’s Sec. to former ministers
Action could be initiated against former Ministers for not handing over their official vehicles, under ‘Misuse of State Property’ Laws, S. Amarasekara, Secretary to the newly appointed Prime Minister, told the Sunday Times. He said they could also be charged under Election Laws, as the President has now called for elections, and action could be [...]
Crossover bribes: TISL complains to CIABOC
Transparency International Sri Lanka (TISL) has filed a complaint with the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption (CIABOC), saying that money and other inducements were offered to parliamentarians to cross over. TISL Executive Director Asoka Obeysekere said they handed over a CD containing voice recordings that corroborated the claims that as much as [...]
CPC issues tender to buy Algerian crude
The Ceylon Petroleum Corporation has issued its first term tender to buy Algerian Saharan blend crude for delivery between February and September, according to a tender document and a company source, a Singapore datelined Reuters report said yesterday. CEYPETCO plans to buy 2.1 million barrels of Saharan Blend, or three cargoes of 700,000 barrels each, [...]
Police probe mystery of decapitated body
A DNA test is to be carried out to determine whether a decapitated head of a foreign woman found close to the Bolgoda bridge in Panadura belonged to the headless body found in Sevanagala, off Monaragala, police said yesterday, The head was discovered on Monday in a scrub jungle by an old woman who noticed [...]
Cambodian team visits demining site at Muhamalai
A 9-member delegation of the Cambodian Mine Action Authority (CMAA) of the Cambodian government visited the Muhamalai humanitarian demining site this week, officials said. Major Waruna Ponnamperuma, Commanding Officer, of the 10 Field Engineer Regiment of the Sri Lanka Army Humanitarian Demining Unit (HDU) had briefed them on the ongoing de-mining project in Muhamalai and [...]
Mangala lashes out at Sirisena
On October 26, President Maithripala Sirisena entered the history books as the only leader who conspired against his own government and toppled it, former Finance Minister and senior UNPer Mangala Samaraweera said yesterday. “He voluntarily gave up many of his executive powers. The 19th Amendment, which was supported by the President, restricts the President’s powers,” [...]
Magistrate recuses himself from CB bond case
Citing personal reasons, Fort Magistrate Ranga Dissanayake recused himself from hearing the crucial Central Bank bond case when it came up for hearing. He said he had requested the Judicial Services Commission to transfer the case to another magistrate. Magistrate Dissanayake informed his position to the prosecution and the defence.Following this development, the Attorney General’s [...]
Mano Ganesan’s TPA to contest polls in alliance with the UNF
The Upcountry based Tamil Progressive Alliance (TPA) led by Mano Ganesan is to contest the upcoming Parliamentary polls under the United National Front (UNF), the alliance umbrella of the United National Party (UNP), a senior leader of the party said. Velusami Radhakrishnan, leader of Upcountry Peoples’ Front, a constituent party of TPA, told the Sunday [...]
EPDP to contest upcoming polls under its veena symbol
The EPDP is to contest the upcoming elections under its own (veena) symbol, party leader and secretary General Douglas Devananda said yesterday. He said that he would pressurise the future government, to solve the ethnic issue through the 13th Amendment. He said if any other Tamil political parties were willing to join the EPDP, they [...]
Ministries and state institutions in a state of utter confusion
As the country’s constitutional crisis dragged into its third week, a picture of confusion and disorganisation continued to prevail at many government ministries and state institutions. Cabinet Ministers were being appointed even as of Friday, just prior to Parliament being dissolved. Up until Friday evening, ministers had been appointed on 11 different occasions. The delay [...]
Hand over official vehicles or else…: New PM’s Sec. to former ministers
Action could be initiated against former Ministers for not handing over their official vehicles, under ‘Misuse of State Property’ Laws, S. Amarasekara, Secretary to the newly appointed Prime Minister, told the Sunday Times. He said they could also be charged under Election Laws, as the President has now called for elections, and action could be [...]
Japan grants US$ 625,000 (Approx. Rs 97m) for mine clearance
The Government of Japan has extended a sum of US$ 625,000 (Approximately Rs 97 million) in grant aid for humanitarian demining in Northern Sri Lanka, under its Grant Assistance for Grassroots Human Security Project (GGP). “The Project for Humanitarian Mine Clearance for Resettlement and Livelihood in Northern Sri Lanka” will be implemented by the HALO [...]
Speakers at Sobitha Thera commemoration meeting decry President Sirisena’s actions
President Maithripala Sirisena, who was propelled to the office of President in January, 2015 by the campaign initiated by the National Movement for a Just Society pioneered by the late Venerable Maduluwawe Sobitha Thera, was a notable absentee at the event held to commemorate the third death anniversary of Sobitha Thera held in Colombo on [...]
President is like Hanuman setting the country on fire: JVP leader
JVP Leader Anura Kumara Dissanayaka said yesterday that President Maithripala Sirisena has become like Hanuman going around setting the whole country on fire and vowed to fight the President’s unconstitutional actions. “President Sirisena has violated the Constitution with impunity. He is like Hanuman going around setting the country on fire. We have to fight his [...]
Dissolving Parliament and Polls only way out of political impasse: UPFA
The United People’s Freedom Alliance (UPFA) yesterday insisted that dissolving Parliament and going for a General Election was the only way out of the current political impasse. Its leaders and Ministers further accused ousted Prime Minister (PM) Ranil Wickremesinghe and Speaker Karu Jayasuriya of forcing the President’s hand by attempting to drag the country into [...]
CEYPETCO shooting: Police seek AG’s advice to make further arrests
The Colombo Crimes Division has sought the Attorney General’s Department’s advice to make further arrests in the shooting incident at the CEYPETCO head office where one person was killed. A senior Police official told the Sunday Times they had obtained further CCTV footage of the shooting incident that occurred when the former Petroleum Minister Arjuna [...]
Multibillion dollar projects, procurements and contracts on hold as power struggle continues
Negotiations on or finalisation of several of multibillion dollar projects, procurements and contracts are held up owing to the ongoing power struggle, including an initiative effort to build houses for the war-displaced which is overdue since 2015. After months of delay, a contract for 25,000 houses was to be signed in the first week of [...]
Old prices remain despite tax reduction sans gazette notice
Taxes on essential food items and commodities that were ‘reduced’ through an announcement by the Finance Ministry, haven’t yet been gazetted and hence, the old prices stand, officials said. “The Government hasn’t issued a gazette notification yet, nor informed us of when one would be ready. We have to wait till the Cabinet settles first [...]
No pension for 69 first time MPs due to dissolution of parliament
Sixty nine MPs will loose their pension benefits due to Parliament being dissolved prior to the completion of its term. According to information revealed yesterday, 69 first time MPs would lose their monthly pensions after President Maithripala Sirisena’s decision to dissolve Parliament at midnight on Friday (9). The list includes many young MPs on both [...]
Crisis causes tourism blip just as Lanka image is boosted
The political crisis has prompted 10-15 per cent of hotel bookings to be cancelled in some areas but the Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau insists the impact is minimal, with hundreds flying in over the past week. “As of last week, four charter flights arrived in Sri Lanka carrying about 900 passengers from Poland, UK, [...]
Mihin CEO clueless about running an airline: Op. Director
The State-funded budget airline Mihin Lanka, inaugurated under the previous government in 2006, turned out to be a loss-making venture due to lack of proper administration headed by the then Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Sajin Vass Gunawardena, the Commission of Inquiry (CoI) Investigating Alleged Irregularities at SriLankan Airlines (SriLankan), SriLankan Catering (SL Catering) and Mihin [...]
Bracing for the ‘diabetes tsunami’
All forces are joining hands to wage war against the “most rampant disease” which is showing trends of affecting 1 in 5 in Colombo. “We need to work together to win the war against diabetes,” stressed the Director-General (DG) of Health Services, Dr. Anil Jasinghe, flexing his muscles along with top doctors in the field [...]
Weather relief in north and east but storm brewing over Andaman Sea
Wet and stormy weather conditions are likely to ease in the next few days in the North, North Central and Eastern provinces, the Meteorological Department said. The low pressure front off the southwest coast has moved away from the island but evening thundershowers will persist in the Sabaragamuwa, Central and Western provinces, including the Galle [...]
Ven. Sobitha Thera’s goals undermined by Constitutional crisis
On Friday, midnight, President Maithripala Sirisena (MS) issued a gazette notification purporting to dissolve Parliament and calling for general elections. This notification follows one week after he purported to remove Ranil Wickremesinghe (RW) from the office of Prime Minister, replacing him with Mahinda Rajapaksa. Both actions of the President are clearly in contravention of the [...]
Pick of the Pix
Pix by Amila Gamage, Hiran Priyankara, Jayarathna Wickramarachchi and Sunil S Thanthiriarachchi
CEA says it has no legal mandate to check community noise
The Central Environmental Authority (CEA) has neither a mechanism to measure “community noise” nor a legal mandate to deal with offenders, the Authority informed the Colombo Chief Magistrate’s Court this week. The admission came when a noise pollution case filed against the Waters Edge Hotel was taken up before Additional Magistrate Kanchana N. Silva. The [...]
Water released for cultivation
After months of drought, the Parakrama Samudraya is now filled to capacity following the recent rains. Yesterday a ceremony was held in the presence of Buddhist monks, irrigation officials and farmers to release water to cultivate 25,000 acres of farmland. Pic by Karu Gamage
76-year-old man’s alleged driving licence racket crashes
A 76-year-old Nuwara Eliya man has been arrested for producing forged driving licences. The man and another suspect, who was 56 years old, were remanded till tomorrow by Nuwara Eliya Magistrate Pamoda Jayasekara. Police said the two suspects sold a forged driving licence for Rs. 45,000. They said the suspects were arrested after they detected [...]
Khurram Sheikh murder: Court of Appeal to hear two petitions
The Court of Appeal has decided to hear two petitions against the High Court ruling on the 2011 Christmas Day murder of British national Khurram Sheikh. The petitions — one filed by the Attorney General on the basis that the sentence was not commensurate with the crime, and the other filed by the convicts claiming [...]
Safari Tour at the Zoological Gardens
Last year on the advice of then Minister of Wildlife Mr. Gamini Jayawickrema Perera, the Dehiwela Zoological Gardens commenced a ‘night tour’ experience for visitors to the facility. Under the scheme, the Gardens which normally close at 6.00 pm, were to reopen to visitors at 7.00 pm and continue until 10.00 pm. The programme featured [...]
The Mangnokka Hena cemetery gets a face-lift
The Mangnokka Hena cemetery at Periyamulla in Negombo is maintained by the Negombo Municipal Council. It is the largest cemetery in the area and is a common burial grounds for persons of all religions. At his time of the year (November) Christians flock to this cemetery as it is a month set apart to pay [...]
Peradeniya VC calls for change from micro to nano technology
The Vice Chancellor of the University of Peradeniya Upul Dissanayake, said the institute needed to update its programmes from micro-technology to nanotechnology to be in step with international standards and if it wished to attract foreign students to its courses. He said that facilities were needed to develop and expand nano technology and nuclear science [...]